The Enchanted Beachball of Fur
by cynicalromantic
Summary: B/S eventually
1. Default Chapter

TITLE: The Enchanted Beachball of Fur   
DISCLAIMERS: Based on characters and storylines from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," of which I own nothing. The character of Lani is loosely based on Lani Tupu from "Farscape."  
RATING: PG  
  
  
DAY ONE  
  
Buffy and her friends were at the Bronze. Dawn was spending the night at a friend's house. It had been a couple months since Buffy's return from the dead, and everyone had put the whole Glory/Dawn/Buffy's suicide dive behind them. But Buffy still felt out of place no matter where she was.  
  
Whenever she was home cooking dinner for Dawn and herself, she felt like she was pretending to be Mom. Consequently. She always felt she was inadequate and not quite in control. And control was a major issue with Buffy. Any loss of it, whether perceived or real, threw her timing off and made her anxious.  
  
Whenever she was with Giles, well that relationship had changed, also. He had always been her mentor and guide, but they both knew that she would never again ask for his advice or yield to his suggestions again. She was her own woman, now, and the only person she trusted and relied on completely was herself. She felt like she had been Dorothy in the Land of Oz, and just discovered she was the only one with the power to decide her own destiny all along. Giles and Buffy, having played the roles of teacher and student respectively, could not find comfort in any other roles.  
  
And now, here at the Bronze with her friends, Buffy felt out of place yet again. Willow and Tara and Xander and Anya were young couples in love; responsible for no one but themselves, their futures wide open to limitless possibilities. Buffy saw her present and her future as consisting of taking care of Dawn and all the household duties while simultaneously protecting the world from evil until her death at a young age. She alternated between envying her friends and feeling superior to them.   
  
The only time Buffy didn't feel out of place was when she was with Spike. Sometimes she ran into him at the Bronze. Sometimes it was just the two of them patrolling; when Willow and Tara had to study and Xander and Anya had to work early the next morning. Spike, she believed, was the only one who not only understood her willingness to give her life for Dawn's, but also joined her in that sentiment. When she was with Spike, she felt alive, confident and powerful. He constantly challenged her both mentally and physically. Heaven forbid she should allow a vampire to slay more demons than the slayer, and so he fueled her competitive nature and she was always at the top of her game whenever he was around. Of course, he was no slouch, either, and there had been a few nights when she truly needed his help and was grateful for it, although she would never admit that to him.  
  
This night, her friends had talked her into taking a night off. And now she was trying desperately to remember how to have fun just 'hanging out.' She couldn't. Instead, she had a hundred other things on her mind such as Dawn's report card, which Dawn would be getting next week, and bills that were due, and household projects she needed to tackle. At 11:00 she decided she was done 'hanging out,' so she said goodbye to her friends and went home.  
  
Spike had been watching her from across the room. He noticed that she looked tense and uncomfortable, and that her smiles seemed forced. He didn't know what it was like to be the sole guardian of a sibling, but he did know what it was like to protect someone one loves, having protected Dru when she needed him. For a brief time, he thought Buffy and Dawn needed him, but he had been mistaken. In the end, he had failed to help them, and Buffy had saved the day (and the world) as usual. He had expected Buffy to remind him of his failure, but she never did. He had patrolled with her occasionally, and she never thanked him for his help, but she never told him to go away, either. And, more importantly, she hadn't revoked his invitation.  
  
Spike watched Buffy leave, and then waited. When he saw Xander go up to the bar for drinks, he approached him.  
  
"So tell me," Spike started, "How did you ever get Anya to fall in love with you? Red do a spell for you?"  
  
"Not that it's any of your business," Xander responded, "But she chased me." Those words felt so good coming out of his mouth that he decided to continue, "Yeah, prom night with the Xan-man was enough to convince her she couldn't live without me."  
  
"So, you're saying she seduced you?" Spike said skeptically.  
  
"That's right," Xander said.  
  
"Should've known you'd paint it that way," Spike said finally. He walked away as Xander continued asserting Anya's pursuit of him to Spike's back.  



	2. Day Two

THE ENCHANTED BEACHBALL OF FUR  
DAY TWO  
  
  
Buffy, Willow, Xander and Anya were out patrolling. Tara had come to the realization, several weeks ago, that she was not cut out for the slash and bash side of patrolling. Her gifts were much more useful at the researching end. The group counted on her to locate whatever spell or spells would be most effective in defeating their adversaries. She and Giles would round up the necessary components and she and Willow would perform the spell or spells. Occasionally, they'd allow Dawn to watch, but Buffy forbade her to participate in any way. Dawn was not permitted to speak or to handle any ingredients.   
  
They were having a relatively quiet night-two vampires and one Vemus demon, so far, when an animal suddenly jumped out from the bushes. It almost resembled a dog. It walked on all fours and it was covered in white fur so thick that it gave the beast the look of a giant cotton ball. Its back was about three feet high, and it had two heads which both seemed disproportionately small for its enormous body. Each head had two large, brown eyes, a pug nose and a small mouth with a short, wide tongue. The white fur on each head curled down, almost like bangs, and covered part of its eyes. It curled its lips back at Willow and made a noise that almost passed for a growl, but sounded more like a sigh. It cocked both heads and stared at her, and Willow burst out laughing.  
  
"Look at it! It's so cute!" she said, reaching out to pet one of its heads.  
  
"Willow, no!" Buffy shouted, "We have no idea what this thing is."  
  
"Sure, we do," Anya interjected, "It's a pet."  
  
"Huh?" Buffy and Xander said in unison.  
  
"Look, there's a collar around each neck," she explained, "And one of them has a tag attached."  
  
Willow stopped petting the thing's heads and felt the collars. "These collars are too tight," she said sympathetically, "Don't pet owners realize that they have a responsibility to not be cruel to their pets?"  
  
"Willow . . ." Buffy interrupted.  
  
"Oh, yeah, right," and she took hold of the tag in order to read it.  
  
"Hi! My name is Ulog. If I am lost, please return me to my worried owner," was all that the tag had on it.  
  
"Aww, are you lost boy(s) . . . or girl(s)?" Willow asked the beast, looking from one pitiable face to the other.  
  
Suddenly, it turned and galloped away. The gang tried to chase it, but the animal was too fast, and they soon gave up.  
  
"So, what kind of demon has a pet 'Ulog?'" Xander asked.  
  
"'Ulog' is its name, not its species," Willow replied, trailing off as she realized that was a moot point.  
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As usual, while the others patrolled, Tara was studying in the university library. She suddenly got a severe case of the heebie jeebies, and the hair rose on the back of her neck. She whipped around and saw Spike coming up behind her. She inhaled sharply, then said, "You shouldn't sneak up on a person like that."  
  
"I want to ask you an important question," he said.  
  
"What?" she stammered, trying unsuccessfully to hide how nervous he made her.  
  
"How did you and Willow get together?"  
  
"Why are you asking me that? You shouldn't be asking me that." She was getting angry.  
  
"Look," he said, "Do you think there aren't homosexual vampires? Not me, mind you, but still, we're quite a liberal lot. I just want . . ." *For God's sake, don't beg* he told himself, *don't get all sappy and give away your true motivations. * "Just answer the question."  
  
Tara looked into his eyes. She was shocked to see not the monster who terrified her, but a desperate man trying to learn the secret of getting a girl to fall for him. Her pity for him made her decide to open up to him and tell him the truth. She was so used to keeping her relationship with Willow a secret from everyone, except the Scooby Gang, who accepted it as long as they didn't have to think about the two of them being intimate, that she found herself almost eager to talk about it with someone who truly wanted to hear about it.  
  
"Well," she began, "I liked Willow right away." A wave of shyness washed over her and she looked away for a moment. But concentrating on Willow gave her the courage to continue. "It took Willow a little longer."  
  
"So, what finally convinced her?" Spike asked.  
  
Tara paused for a moment. "I think it was when Oz came back," she said thoughtfully. "I guess her seeing him again, well she realized, um, at least that was when she told me . . ." she trailed off.  
  
"That she loves you?" Spike tentatively finished for her.  
  
"Yeah," she said, and she blushed from her head to her toes. Spike seemed to drift off in thoughts so she said quickly, "I have to go now."  
  
He made eye contact with her and said, "Thank you," and then Tara left. Spike came to a disturbing conclusion, and went to see someone else.  
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"Riley Finn," he told Medina, who was a non-violent demon who happened to be a computer whiz. He then proceeded to give her as much information as he could, which wasn't a lot, regarding Riley's departure with the secret military organization called "The Initiative."  
  
Medina searched the internet using several different search engines, but had no luck. When Spike produced a good-sized wad of cash, she said she knew of some other ways to locate people through the internet, and she resumed typing.  
  
While she searched through backdoors and hidden links, using various secret passcodes she had uncovered over the past few years, Spike paced about her office, chain-smoking. After what seemed like an eternity, she said, "Found him," and Spike rushed over to look at her computer screen.  
  
"So, Captain Cardboard is deep in the jungles of . . . Kansas?!" Spike said incredulously. "Kansas? Are you sure?" he asked.  
  
"Hey, don't bite the messenger," Medina answered. She printed the information for Spike.   
  
As he left for Kansas, he said under his breath, "This had better be worth it."  



	3. Day Three

DAY THREE  
  
When Giles finally produced a picture of the two-headed "pet," he took his glasses off and scratched his forehead. "The beast you encountered is called a 'diberus.' The only reported sightings of it resemble your own. That is to say, no wild diberi have ever been observed."  
  
"And their masters?" Buffy inquired.  
  
"Well, I'm afraid there's not much information about the owners of these beasts; none, actually. It seems no one who has searched for them ever returned."  
  
"Sounds like a case for the game warden," Xander offered.  
  
Having accepted the fact that her job description occasionally included "hunter," Buffy said, "I guess it's time to track down one of these 'masters.'"  
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By that evening, Willow, Tara and Giles had found a tracking spell that could work. Willow called Buffy. She told her she had to take some time to relax and clear her mind in preparation for the tracking spell. Willow recommended Buffy go to the beach the following morning, alone. The combination of lying still on white sand while listening to the waves seemed just the recipe Buffy would need in order to make herself more receptive to the spell Willow and Tara intended to cast.  
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Meanwhile, Spike was doing some tracking of his own. He planned to find Riley and tell him Buffy was in trouble. *That should get him back to Sunnydale, * he thought, *Then the slayer will realize she hasn't missed him and doesn't love him. The she'll be able to see what I already know-that there's something between us that can't be ignored. *  
  
He had stocked up on blood from the butcher in Sunnydale with whom he had an 'agreement'-protection from baddies in exchange for meals. He took that with him as he drove all night for two nights, finding dark places to sleep in during the days.  



	4. Day Four

DAY FOUR  
  
The next morning, Buffy did as she was told. She put on her bikini and a pair of shorts, ate some breakfast with her sister before school, grabbed a large beach towel and a liter of water, and rode the cab she had called to the Pacific Ocean.  
  
As a rule, Buffy did not enjoy relaxing. It was her opinion that relaxing was for people who had too much time on their hands; people without preordained destinies to fulfill. Since she had become the slayer, any time she caught herself almost relaxing she immediately felt guilty. She could always think of at least ten other things she should be doing.  
  
When she removed her shorts and lay down on her beach towel, her initial reaction was the usual barrage of thoughts about all the things she should be doing: laundry, grocery shopping, researching, training. But then something strange happened. As the sun warmed her skin and the ocean's breeze brushed over her, everything else began to slowly fall away. After a while, she no longer heard the glee-filled voices of the children building sandcastles fifteen feet away from her. She didn't hear the screeching of the teenaged girls as their teenaged boyfriends carried them kicking and screaming into the water. All she heard were the crashing waves, an occasional, high-pitched "reet-reet" from a seagull and the roar of the breeze in her ears. Without consciously trying, all she focused on was the heat of the sun on her skin and the feel of the gentle wind as it caressed her body. The two forces seemed to be in sync with each other. When the sun's heat began to grow too intense, the wind picked up and brushed it away. Then the wind would back off, allowing the rays to envelop her body and cleanse her mind.  
  
As late morning turned into early afternoon, the sun grew hotter. At one point the sun felt so hot on Buffy's skin that she almost broke her trance and went in the water to cool off. But just as she was thinking she couldn't endure one more second of the intense heat, the breeze, as if on cue, washed over her and her body felt heavy again.  
  
After a little while, relaxation very nearly gave way to sleep, but not quite. It was while she was in this state of semi-consciousness that the lull between breezes grew longer, and the sunlight seemed to pin her mercilessly to her towel as she lay on her stomach, now. Some part of her knew she could get up if she really wanted to, but it would take a supreme effort. And besides, a tiny part of her that usually remained buried deep in her subconscious thrilled to the idea of feeling helpless.  
  
As the wind seemed to take a vacation of its own, Buffy let the sun take her completely. She felt intense heat simultaneously on the back of her head and on her calves. Then the heat climbed down her head to her neck and shoulders and rose up from her calves to the backs of her thighs. It caressed her like a gentle lover, spreading its fingers across her back and lapping at the insides of her thighs. The currents of heat spread out from her back and nuzzled the tender sides of her breasts. As flaming tongues licked their way up the insides of her thighs and gently nipped at her bikini bottom, she felt as if electric charges were coursing through her body.  
  
Buffy flipped from her stomach to her back, and let the sensations take over her. She felt rough, hot hands fondling her breasts and setting her erect nipples on fire. She felt warm kisses between her legs as the sun continued its relentless seduction of her. She wanted to writhe in agony and pleasure but invisible hands restrained her arms and the sun pressed against her body like a weight holding her still. Just then, a cool breeze brushed over her, caressing her aching nipples and trying, but not succeeding to push her lover away from its assault on her hot center. Her breathing became labored as invisible fingers coaxed their way inside her, forcing her legs apart. She grasped handfuls of sand as an orgasm racked her body, and the sun seemed to explode inside her.  
  
The next breeze, much cooler than the last, succeeded in chasing her lover away. She felt a coolness and a calmness take over her, and as she became aware, once again, of her surroundings, she heard the laughter of the children, the screeching and hollering of the teenagers, the bustle of parents gathering up kids and belongings and shaking out towels and blankets full of sand. Buffy decided she had had quite enough 'relaxing' for one day, thank you very much, and so she took a big swallow from her bottle of water, put on her shorts and her sandals, scooped up her towel and headed back home.  
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That night, with the tracking spell in place, Buffy, Xander, Anya and Willow went to the place where they had seen the diberus. Buffy closed her hand around the silvery gem she carried and closed her eyes. "That way," she said almost immediately, and pointed west.  
  
They walked until they came to a new housing plan near the ocean. A few of the houses were finished and had families living in them, but most were still under construction. Buffy stopped at a plot of ground where construction had not yet begun. She looked around, clearly disturbed. "It stopped," she said.  
  
"What stopped?" Xander asked.  
  
"The scent," Buffy answered.  
  
"Well, what do you feel?" Willow asked.  
  
Buffy looked at Willow in frustration. "Nothing. Just . . . nothing."  
  
They decided to look around despite the scent's mysterious disappearance, but they found no sign of Ulog. And so they decided to call it a night.  
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Medina's directions were excellent, and Spike was able to find the base where Riley was stationed. He located Riley, but other soldiers always surrounded the boy. *Seems he's the one in charge,* Spike thought, and that amused him. He followed him for a while, but he grew tired of waiting for Riley to be alone. And so he wrote a quick note, wrapped it around a rock and threw it at Riley when Riley was about ten paces in front of his 'troop.' Riley said, "Ow!" then looked around quickly. Then he looked down and saw the paper-covered rock. He picked it up, uncrumpled the paper and read the note. He looked around again, seeing no one but his men, then moved along to complete his sweep with his men.  
  
At 1:00a.m., when everyone else was finally asleep, Riley crept out of his quarters and walked to the outhouse. Once there, he walked thirty paces straight back from it and away from the camp. He saw the glow of Spike's cigarette before he could make out the dark figure.  
  
"How did you find me?" Riley asked him first.  
  
"I have my sources," Spike said arrogantly.  
  
"Whatever," Riley said, "So, your note said something about Buffy and that it's important. This better be good."  
  
Spike made his face as straight and sincere as he could in preparation for the whopping lie he was about to tell. "Buffy's in trouble and she needs your help." It nearly killed him to say this.  
  
"Buffy? Buffy never needed my help," Riley responded.  
  
"Well she does this time," Spike gritted his teeth for a second, "She asked for you."  
  
Riley thought about this. Why would Spike want to take him back to Sunnydale? To Buffy? He couldn't come up with a single reason. He considered the possibility that Spike might actually be telling the truth. He looked at him but he couldn't read his face.  
  
"Well, I can't just leave," Riley finally said, "I'm on a mission."  
  
Spike decided to play his trump card. "Look, Buffy's had a hard time of it, lately, what with her mother's death and all."  
  
Riley couldn't have been more shocked than if Spike had grabbed him and started waltzing with him. "I thought Mrs. Summers was cured," he finally said.  
  
"Apparently not," Spike said, "Joyce had an aneurysm about six months ago." His voice softened at the memory.  
  
"Poor Buffy . . . and Dawn," Riley started, "But I still can't just pick up and leave. I'll fly out in a few days."  
  
"Alright, then," Spike said. He'd waited this long. He could wait a few more days to see Buffy reject Riley and see the error of her ways.  



	5. Day Five

DAY FIVE  
  
The next morning, after Dawn got off to school, Buffy laid down for a nap. 6:30 was just too damn early when you'd been out until 2:00. She had those bizarre, life-like dreams one has during late-morning naps. In one, Ulog ran along the beach as the sun was coming up over the horizon. Buffy lay on her stomach watching the sunrise. When she glanced over at Ulog, all she could see were the light-filled bubbles and spots one sees after staring at a bright light for too long. She was still squinting at the place where Ulog had been when the heat of the now fully risen sun brought her attention back to the horizon. She flipped over onto her back and gasped when she saw a man kneeling beside her.  
  
She was speechless as their eyes locked. His eyes were a warm, dark brown. His black hair was pulled tightly back and braided. He had a short, black beard along his jaw line, which merged with a perfectly trimmed and shaped goatee. She glanced briefly at his full lips then back into his eyes. *I could drown in those eyes, * she thought sleepily, and then she woke up with a start. It was 12:00 noon.  
  
Buffy showered, dressed, and without leaving a note, began walking due west.  
  
She walked to the empty plot where she had tracked Ulog to-only now, it wasn't empty. There was a pretty, blue house with a white picket fence and a lush green lawn. Ulog came running to the gate, just as excited as a dog is when his master comes home from a long day at work. She looked at the beast quizzically. Just then, a man came out of the house. He looked vaguely familiar.  
  
"I see you've met Ulog," the man said. His voice was low and silky. And as he strode toward her, she couldn't help but notice his thick, muscular limbs, his jet-black hair pulled tightly back into a braid. But mostly she noticed his eyes. They were a rich, dark brown and they seemed to bore into her soul.  
  
"You!" she said in sudden recognition. "I had a dream about you."  
  
"Did you?" he asked, but it was more of a statement.  
  
As he came closer to her, she had the sudden urge to run away. Something seemed off to her. She looked the man from her dream up and down. His bare feet weren't webbed. He had five clawless fingers on each hand. And his face, while the most gorgeous, sensual face Buffy had ever seen, was definitely human and male. She looked at his eyes again and briefly lost her ability to speak. When she regained it, she said, "What are you doing with a diberus?"  
  
"A what?" he asked sincerely.  
  
"A diberus," she repeated, and pointed to Ulog.  
  
"Yes, he is rather unusual," the man said, "But he's the result of . . . well, it's a very long story."   
  
Buffy decided she could listen to this man's voice for quite a long time. "I've got time," she informed him.  
  
"Glorious day, isn't it?" he said, "The sun nice and hot on the skin."  
  
She was suddenly aware of how hot she really was, especially after walking all that way in the middle of the afternoon. And she was thirsty.  
  
"Would you like to come in and join me for some lemonade?" he asked her, "And I can tell you the story of the creation of Ulog."  
  
She followed him in without questioning it.  
  
Once inside, he turned to face her and grasped her hand. "My name is Lani," he told her.  
  
"Buffy," she said.  
  
"Well, Buffy, make yourself at home while I get our lemonade."  
  
Buffy sat down and looked around the living room. It was exquisitely decorated in rich reds, warm browns and gold. There were exotic-looking plants throughout the room as well as pieces of art that looked African in origin, not to mention pricey. As she admired her surroundings, she said to herself, *It figures. This man is either married or gay. * Besides the fact that it was well decorated, the living room held no other clues about Lani's lifestyle. There were no photos, no videocassettes or CDs, no magazines or books lying around. There were some books in a bookcase. When Buffy walked over to inspect them, she found several classic novels and many medical books. There were books on molecular biology, genetic engineering and quantum physics. Some part in the back of her brain was trying, unsuccessfully, to get a message to the rest of her. *You're forgetting something,* it was trying to say. But she was too curious and captivated to hear it.  
  
"Here we are," Lani said, returning to the living room with two large glasses of lemonade. He smiled at her as he handed her a glass, and waves of pure, masculine energy seemed to leap off of him and brush her skin, giving her goosebumps. She looked at his face and her eyes immediately drifted to his straight, white teeth and full, tender lips. She wondered how that succulent mouth would feel on hers, and then quickly blinked the image away. She looked down at his hands. Big mistake. They were large and rough-looking and she imagined them squeezing her breasts and gently caressing her nipples. Again with the goosebumps and her halter-top suddenly seemed too tight; almost binding. She needed to break this spell.  
  
"This room is beautiful," she said, "Did you decorate it?"  
  
"Yes," he answered, then quickly added, "Well, my ideas, anyway. I had an interior decorator who helped me immensely in order to achieve the look I wanted."  
  
Material things did not normally mean much to Buffy. But she found herself wanting to know the number for his decorator.  
  
"Are you married?" she asked suddenly. *Very subtle, Miss Summers, * she berated herself.  
  
"My wife was killed in an accident several years ago," he answered.  
  
"Oh. I'm sorry," she said.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Buffy remembered why she was there. "You were going to tell me about Ulog."  
  
"Yes."  
  
Lani told her he used to be a geneticist working in Oregon. "Most people don't realize just how far the field of genetics has come; nor how quickly new developments are being achieved." He told her how at first, his research concentrated on plant DNA. Buffy quickly looked around at the exotic plants in the room. Lani continued explaining combining DNA, mutations, his failed experiments and his successes. He acknowledged the plants in the room.  
  
He went on to tell her how one day he stumbled upon another experiment going on in a small, secret laboratory in the building in which he worked. This one involved animals; dogs, specifically. Realization began to dawn on Buffy, but she let him finish the story.  
  
Even though she guessed the rest of Lani's story, she was stunned to hear him tell how he rescued Ulog from that lab, which had deemed it a failure and sentenced it to death. He had run with the beast as well as with enough documentation to blackmail the genetics company into leaving them alone.  
  
"This poor creature has one soul and two, separate brains," Lani continued. "My research is partly the cause of his existence. Therefore, I feel compelled to help him cope with it."  
  
Buffy was both amazed by his story and moved by his compassion. But that tiny part of her brain that was still on red alert found its voice. "How do you explain your house? Yesterday, there was nothing here."  
  
"A cloaking spell," Lani answered. "This may be difficult to believe, but one of Ulog's two brains is developed quite beyond our own. Though he has no capacity for speech-his vocal chords won't support it-he does have some paranormal abilities. Even I am not quite fully aware of all he's able to do."  
  
"Well," Buffy responded, "I suppose that's just as plausible as the fact that he exists at all. But then why could I see your house today?"  
  
"I guess Ulog likes you and believes you're trustworthy." Lani smiled at her and she blushed. The tiny, suspicious part of Buffy's brain switched down to yellow alert, and she relaxed a little.  
  
"So, tell me about yourself," Lani asked her, "And tell me what in the world a diberus is."  
  
Buffy laughed and filled him in on her and her friends' encounter with Ulog and the subsequent research. That conversation seemed to flow right into her being the slayer. Because he had trusted her with so much information, she decided to share her slayer side with him. As she spoke, Lani seemed fascinated and hung on her every word. He refilled their lemonade, and they continued to talk.  
  
As they got to know each other, the minutes ticked away into hours. Anyone observing them would have surely felt the sparks between them, almost as if the air between them were charged.  
  
The tiny part of Buffy's brain that was supposed to be keeping track of things must've nodded off, because as she became more and more comfortable in Lani's presence, all memories of Dawn, Giles and everyone else floated away, like leaves in the wind. She lost all concept of time, and didn't notice when it grew dark outside.  
  
"Let me make us some dinner," Lani said, and Buffy realized how hungry she was. "We'll go to the kitchen and see what we can find."  
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When Dawn got home from school, she was surprised to find Buffy was not home. She did her homework, checking the clock every ten minutes or so. By 6:30p.m. she had finished her homework and had started to become really worried about her sister. She called around, but no one had seen nor heard from her all day.   
  
When Dawn called Giles back, he told her not to worry and to remain at home in case Buffy called or showed up. He would stay home as well, for the same reasons. Willow, Tara, Xander and Anya were all going out to look for Buffy.  
  
Anya and Xander began their search at Spike's crypt, but no one was there. They even checked the underground parts. Then they checked the Bronze. She wasn't there, either, and no one there had seen her. They then walked through the cemetery, glad to encounter no demons, although they were prepared just in case. "This is so not good," Xander remarked of their fruitless search.  
  
Willow and Tara went to the place where Buffy had tracked the diberus to, because Willow had a funny feeling about it. When they arrived at the property where Buffy had stopped, they were met with the same nothing Buffy had encountered the previous night.  
  
"I don't get it," Willow said, "I was sure this place had something to do with Buffy not being home."  
  
Tara was looking past her at the empty plot of land.  
  
"Tara, what is it?" Willow asked.  
  
"I don't know. It just . . . doesn't it seem strange that the tracking spell just stopped?" Tara replied.  
  
"Maybe it just pooped out here," Willow speculated.  
  
"I don't think so," Tara answered, "I mean, every plot of land in this plan has a house at least started on it, yet this one has nothing but grass. And why the nice lawn if a house is going to be built there? This lawn isn't part of either house on its sides. Can you see where the ground is different along the edges of the property?"  
  
Willow looked at her with her mouth open. "Buffy!" she yelled. She yelled a couple more times until a man came out of a nearby house and screamed at her to be quiet.  
  
"I can't just give up," Willow complained to Tara.  
  
"Maybe we should go to Mr. Giles' house and try to find a spell to uncover any magicks going on here," Tara offered.  
  
"You're right," Willow answered, and they went back to Giles' house to meet up with the others.  
  
As Buffy ate dinner with Lani, oblivious to the fact that she was missed, her friends and her sister searched for a de-cloaking spell, or any other ideas for getting her back to them.  
  
It got later and later, and still the group had found nothing. Dawn and Xander fell asleep, both having gotten up early for school and work, respectively. The rest of them were having trouble keeping their eyes open, as well. Finally, Willow said, "I've read the same sentence four times in a row. I can't do this anymore. My eyes are all unfocused."  
  
"It's okay, honey," Tara said, "We can try again tomorrow, can't we, Mr. Giles?" But Giles and Anya had also fallen fast asleep.  
-------------------------------------------------------------  
  
  
'Dinner' had been the best meal Buffy had had since 'Joyce's Kitchen' became 'Buffy's Kitchen.' Of course, a meal at Burger Barn would have received the same compliment. But Lani had cooked her grilled salmon with teriyaki sauce, fresh asparagus and roasted new potatoes. Buffy didn't normally like wine, or any alcohol, for that matter. But Lani served her a fruity, white wine, and she found she enjoyed it very much.  
  
After dinner, he refilled their wine glasses and they went back to the living room. Lani excused himself, then returned with a classical jazz CD, which he put in his player.  
  
They continued talking. After a time, Lani told her about his wife's accident. Buffy could see that it was painful for him to talk about. At last, he stood up and faced away from Buffy. "I knew I would be lonely, but I never expected . . ." he broke off.  
  
Buffy went to him, put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed lightly.  
  
"I didn't expect to be so angry at her for it," he finished.  
  
Buffy empathized completely. She spun him around to face her and then she hugged him, tears spilling down her face.  
  
They remained in that position for several long minutes. Then Buffy, who had been absently stroking his back in comfort, began inching her hands up further; caressing the back of his neck, letting her hand rest on the back of his head. He responded by pulling her closer, and she could feel his desire coursing through him. She unfastened the leather clip that held his hair back, letting it drop to the floor. She ran her hands through his thick, black hair, then pulled back to look at his face. He looked at her hesitantly. And then desire and passion took over his features and he kissed her. He gave her two quick pecks at first, as if he were trying to find out if he was merely grateful for her company and her understanding, or if his feelings for her were more powerful than that. Buffy saved him the trouble of deciding.  
  
Maybe it was because she hadn't been with a man in a long time. Maybe it was because she was lonely. Or maybe it was because she was so drawn to this man, not in any way she could explain, but she wasn't planning on leaving any time soon. She brushed a stray hair off his forehead, took his head between her hands and kissed him tenderly. He kissed her back more urgently, pressing his lips forcefully against hers. Her mouth opened almost involuntarily, and Lani took advantage and explored her mouth with his tongue. Soon, Buffy was thrusting her tongue deep inside Lani's mouth and running her hands up under his shirt, playing with the dark, curly hair on his chest. Suddenly, he broke away.  
  
"Will you excuse me for a moment?" he asked.  
  
"Sure."  
  
Lani went into the bathroom. He removed his shirt and hung it on the doorknob. He placed his hands on his chest where Buffy's had been moments before. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He shuddered. He pressed his fingertips into the thickest part of the dark curls-and began peeling his skin off.  
  
Buffy felt silly standing there waiting for Lani to finish up in the bathroom, and so she sat down on the sofa. She reached for her wine and was disappointed to discover it was empty. She closed her eyes and listened to the music--not normally her preference, but it was very relaxing. She waited for a while, mildly curious what was taking him so long. But eventually the combination of the wine, her full belly and the soft rhythms filling the room resulted in her falling asleep on the sofa without a care in the world. She slept without dreaming for twelve hours straight. While she slept, her mind succumbed to her new world. She no longer remembered she had a sister, a watcher, enemies or friends back in Sunnydale. She accepted that she was meant to be with Lani and Ulog.  
  
  



	6. Day Six

DAY SIX  
  
  
After driving the rest of the previous night and into the morning until sunrise, Spike was sleeping in his car in a parking garage when he had a dream. In his nightmare he saw Buffy locked in a passionate embrace with a muscular man with dark features. The two of them were hungrily kissing each other, lost in a powerful desire, and the sight of it both aroused and worried Spike. Then Buffy seemed to step outside of herself. And as the first Buffy continued her erotic assault of her mysterious lover, the second Buffy looked Spike right in the eyes and said urgently, "Help me."  
  
Spike woke up screaming her name.  
  
It wasn't dark outside, yet, and so he couldn't resume his trip, so he decided to find a payphone. He tried Willow's dorm first, and got no answer. Then he called Giles.  
------------------------------------------------------------  
  
  
The gang had resumed researching. They hadn't yet found a de-cloaking spell, but they had learned more about the diberus. They discovered that this demon had some rather noteworthy abilities. Its powers all fell under the blanket term "enchantment," which meant, basically, that it could make people see what it wanted them to see, or put one's mind in a fog comprised only of select memories.  
  
"Well, how do you like that," said Xander, "It says here that the diberus' powers don't work on other demons. That is so unfair! Why should they be immune? Why are they special?"  
  
"What about ex-demons?" Anya inquired.  
  
"Sorry, babe," he answered, "You're just as human as the rest of us, and therefore not special." Catching her hurt glance, he added, "Well, of course you're special, just not in that demony, evil way." She smiled at him.  
  
While that exchange was going on, Giles, Willow, Tara and Dawn had all drawn the same conclusion, and all looked at each other. Giles took his glasses off and rubbed his brow. It was at that moment that Spike phoned.  
  
"Giles, Buffy's in trouble," Spike said without any preliminary niceties.  
  
"Spike?" Giles said in disbelief. "Yes, we know. But how did you . . ."  
  
"I had a dream," Spike interrupted. "You and the scoobies have to help her. I can't get there until several hours after dark."  
  
Giles covered the receiver with his palm. "Spike can't help us until late tonight. It seems he's out of town."  
  
When he held the phone back up to his ear, Spike was yelling, "You've got to get her away from him! It's a trap!"  
  
"Yes, yes, we've come to the same conclusion. But . . . I can't believe I'm saying this . . . it seems you're the only one among us who can help her."  
  
Spike considered this for a moment. Just then, the payphone made a funny beeping noise, and then a female computer voice came on the line, "Please insert 75 cents for the next three minutes." Spike decided he didn't have three minutes. He had to get to Buffy and get her away from that man.  
  
"I believe he's on his way," Giles said, hanging up the phone. "We need to make our plans."  
  
"Good morning," Lani said as he walked into the living room. He handed her a cup of coffee and asked how she likes her eggs.  
  
"Pretty much just cooked," Buffy replied. She was so hungry, even Giles' Wheatabix would've appealed to her. Only she didn't remember Giles, or his Wheatabix or even her mother's pancakes.  
  
As Lani cooked their breakfast, Buffy went upstairs. She went into a bedroom that she somehow knew was meant for her. She pulled some clothes out of the dresser within and went to take a shower. After her shower, she dressed, brushed her hair and went downstairs, her hair still wet.  
  
"My God, you're a vision," Lani remarked when she went into the kitchen. She couldn't think how, what with her hair all wet and no makeup on, but she still enjoyed the compliment. She admired him, as well, standing at the stove cooking their breakfast in shorts and a T-shirt. She suddenly felt hot, and falsely attributed that to the heat from the stove.  
  
They ate in comfortable silence, feeling familiar enough with each other that constant conversation was no longer necessary. After they cleaned up from breakfast, they talked about their hopes and dreams. She found that she didn't hope for much beyond staying there with Lani forever. For the first time in her life, Buffy felt completely content.  
  
Lani taught her a logic game called "Wff & Proof," and they played that in between performing various domestic duties and talking.  
  
After dinner, they went into the living room with their glasses of wine. Lani put on some soft music and asked Buffy to dance. As before, the sexual energy between them crackled, and soon they were hungrily kissing each other and exploring each other's bodies with their hands.  
  
As they shed their shirts, Lani seemed to get suddenly shy. "What is it?" Buffy asked.  
  
"It's just that I haven't been with a woman in a very long time," he answered.  
  
"If it helps," she replied, "I want you more than I've ever wanted anything in my life. And, for the record, it's been a really long time for me, too." She wrapped her arms around his waist. "I'm pretty sure between us we can figure out what to do. She broke away from him for a second. "Give me a minute. I'll be right back."  
  
Buffy went upstairs to her room. She opened the bottom drawer of her dresser and pulled out a lacy, black negligee. It was beautiful, with lace-trimmed elbow-length sleeves, a black silk bodice covered in lace that hugged her breasts firmly, a low-cut V-neck that drew attention to her long, sensuous neck and the curves of her breasts, and a skirt that flowed around her thighs trimmed in lace that came just above her knees. The silk felt heavenly against her bare skin and the tightness of the bodice made her nipples push against the fabric. The cut of the negligee flattered every curve and she was aroused just wearing it. She went back downstairs to the living room. When Lani saw her, his eyes went wide and he seemed to lose his ability for speech.  
  
Buffy felt bold, powerful, sexy and shy all at once. Lani seemed to move without thought. He strode over to her, wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her roughly against him. He said "Buffy," in a hoarse voice and captured her mouth with his own.  
  
  
When Spike arrived at Giles', the gang quickly explained why they needed his help. "Right, then. Let's go," Spike said, quickly assuming the leadership role.  
  
They arrived at Ulog's house and, as before, no one could see it. No one, that is, except Spike, who could see it plain as day. "You mean you can't see this house that's right in front of you?" Spike said incredulously.  
  
"I'm afraid only true demons can penetrate the diberus' enchantment," Giles replied, and he and Spike locked eyes when he said "true demons."  
  
"Well then," Spike said, and he walked over and knocked on the door.  
  
Inside, Buffy stopped kissing Lani and said, "Did you hear something?"  
  
"No," Lani said, and he kissed her again.  
  
She heard it again. "Lani, I think there's someone at the door."  
  
"Impossible," he answered, and he began kissing his way down her neck, continuing down until he was playfully nipping at the sides of her breasts that were exposed by the negligee.  
  
Suddenly, the door burst open, startling them both. Buffy looked at the doorway, and she couldn't see Giles, Dawn or her friends, but she could see Spike, standing at the threshold.  
  
"Spike!" she gasped, "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Invite me in!" he demanded.  
  
"Why would I want to do that?" she asked.  
  
"You're in danger. It's a trap," he answered.  
  
All of a sudden, they both realized how she looked; wearing the sexy negligee, hair tousled a bit, flushed with desire. Spike felt like his breath, if he'd had any, had been taken away, and Buffy, now flushed with desire AND embarrassment, stood her ground, hands on her hips.  
  
"Buffy, please," he said softly this time, "You are under the spell of a diberus. It's making you forget things-your sister . . ." he looked imploringly at her. Seeing no sign of enlightenment coming from her, he said, "Alright, then, maybe this will help jog your memory." With that, he morphed into his vampire features. The slayer side of Buffy instinctively charged into action. She flew through the doorway, pushing Spike down hard. She straddled him, punching his face with alternate fists until he grabbed hold of her wrists. He put his vamp face away and looked up at her. She looked at him, then slowly looked up and saw Dawn, Giles, Willow, Xander, Tara and Anya. Her face expressed shock, horror and grief and she began sobbing uncontrollably. Remembering something, she turned around to look at Lani's house, but it had vanished, along with Lani and Ulog. She got off of Spike, still crying, and said to everyone how sorry she was that she had forgotten them. They reassured her that it wasn't her fault and that she had been under a powerful enchantment from the diberus.  
  
  
Several weeks later, Spike and Buffy were patrolling. The others were all busy. It was the first time they had been alone since he'd rescued her. Silence hung over them like a heavy, black cloud. Buffy was the first to break the silence.  
  
"Spike, when you were with the robot, did it . . . did she satisfy you? Was she what you wanted?"  
  
"Well, that came out of nowhere," he remarked. "Slow night, so you're trying to pick a fight with me?"  
  
"No, no it's not that," she said, "It's just . . ." she took a deep breath. "When I was with Lani, he seemed so real. But he wasn't. Still, he made me feel . . . well, it wasn't bad. But now I feel . . ."  
  
"Stupid? Used? Sleazy?" Buffy glared at him. "Just trying to help, pet," he said, giving her a devilish grin.  
  
"I don't need your help," she spat at him.  
  
After a few beats of silence, Spike said, "I know something about that."  
  
"What?"  
  
"When I was with my robot, now, don't get me wrong-she was very good, but I always knew she wasn't the real thing. She was . . ."  
  
"Sleazy? Stupid?" she waited for him to reward her with a glare. "Just helping," she said sarcastically.  
  
"At least I didn't sleep with him," Buffy muttered under her breath.  
  
"You didn't?" Spike said incredulously.  
  
*Did I say that out loud?* Buffy thought.  
  
"Do you think I care whether or not you believe me?" she said angrily.  
  
"It's not that," he answered, "It's only that if I had you all to myself for two days and you wore that black thing . . .well I suppose your imaginary boyfriend has more self-control than I do."  
  
"So, you and the robot . . ."  
  
"Listen, Buffy, and try to wrap your little, blonde head around this. I had the robot built because I had completely given up on ever having the real thing. I figured even a robot version of you was better than a real anyone else. How truly pathetic am I? But that little taste of you was enough to keep me from attacking you, so, actually, you should be thankful I had it."  
  
"You couldn't have attacked me," she said, "That chip . . ."  
  
"That chip," Spike interrupted, "Only activates when I intend harm. I wouldn't have tried to hurt you."  
  
She punched him, just for the hell of it.  
  
He laughed. "You would have never been happy with Lani," he asserted, "You wouldn't have lasted a week with him! You need someone real. You want the real thing." With that, he grabbed her shoulders and kissed her hard.  
  
She knew he was at least partly right, but she struggled against him just the same.  
  
"You presumptuous, arrogant pervert!" she said, adrenaline pumping through her.  
  
"Now Slayer," he said mockingly, "You know I'm right or you wouldn't be so worked up."  
  
"You're wrong!" she continued, "We're not supposed to be together!"  
  
"Buffy, I've watched you grow from being a whiney, self-centered teenybopper to a self-assured, intelligent woman. You don't need Giles or your friends to decide for you what's right and what's wrong. You're fully capable of making your own decisions. Stop lying to yourself and pretending. You know what you want. Stop being afraid of going after it."  
  
She didn't want to believe that he could be right. How could she want to be with a vampire? She looked into his eyes, and he could see the ambivalence in her eyes.  
  
"Come on, love," he said, not quite pleading, "Aren't you tired of fighting against your own heart?" He could see he was beginning to sway her, but she still needed one final push. "Tell you what," he said, moving closer to her, "You kiss me one time-not just a peck, mind you, one real kiss. Then, if you can walk away from me, I'll give it up. I'll move on. It will be your decision."  
  
She could do this. She was sure she could do this. She stepped closer to him, leaving only a few inches between them. Watching his eyes search her face, she was suddenly shy and nervous and not quite sure how to approach him. She slowly put her hands on his shoulders. He automatically responded by putting his hands on her hips. Then she reached her mouth up to his, and pressed her lips against his. She could feel him holding back; keeping his passion and desire in check while she made up her mind. She was surprised to feel tears streaming from her eyes. She realized she wanted to unleash all of Spike's passion. She wanted to feel his desire. Her emotions all seemed to release at once, and her tears were tears of relief. It was as if, at last, she found what she had been longing for.  
  
Buffy realized she had hidden her feelings for Spike for so long because she was afraid of losing him. She stopped kissing him and looked at him. As fresh tears sprang from her eyes, she said, "Don't leave me, Spike. Please don't leave me."  
  
Touched by her vulnerability, Spike answered her, "Never," and he hugged her tightly to him, as his own tears of joy fell from his eyes.  
  
THE END  
  
P.S. Riley never did show up.  
  
  



End file.
